Improved Border Facilities to Be Built on the Laotian Side of the Golden Triangle

Laos, Golden Triangle, checkpoint, border

One of the best Treetop Hotels in Asia is located at Nam Kan National Park in Bokeo Province.

At the end of January, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Somdy Douangdy took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Golden Triangle Border checkpoint in Ton Pheung district, Bokeo Province. The area is Laos sole converging point to both Myanmar and Thailand. Laos Ton Pheung area is directly linked to Tachileik in Myanmar as well as the districts of Chiang Saen and Chiang Kong in Thailand.

Bokeo is Laos smallest province with a population of only 165,000 inhabitants. For tourists, it is however an interesting destination as it is one of the country most ethnically diverse regions with over 30 recognized ethnic groups

The construction of the new border checkpoint will be conducted by Dok Ngiew Kham Group. The project aims to meet the demand of navigation, freight but also tourists movements.

Mr Yia Jian Kun, Chief Executive Officer of Dokngiew Kham Group declared to Laotian news agency KPL that once fully built the checkpoint will initially accommodate around 200,000 passengers and 100,000 tonnes of goods annually. “Our target is to have around 800,000 passengers going through this checkpoint annually and around 400,000 tonnes of goods transported through this checkpoint per year.”

The new international harbour checkpoint sits on 11 ha, comprising goods yard, warehouse, customs inspection office, immigration office, departure area, helipad. The border checkpoint will be built at a cost of US$ 18 million.

Vice Governor of Bokeo Province Khamking Euaymanyhack said that the building of the international harbour checkpoint is very important as the harbour checkpoint will be a workplace for both government officials and business people who facilitate the inflow and outflow of goods.

“This investment project will also boost service businesses and help attract more domestic and foreign visitors to visit Bokeo Province and the Golden Triangle area as well. The area will consequently be turned into a water transport hub for northern Laos in the future,” said Mr Khamking.